Area news in brief

Published: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at 11:19 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at 12:41 p.m.

Two injured in hammer, knife fight

CUT OFF -- A bloody fight between two intoxicated teenagers who attacked each other with a knife and hammer ended with one teen in jail and the other unconscious in the hospital, according to the Lafourche Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s deputies were called Tuesday night to a scene of a fight at a house at 145 W. 63rd St. in Cut Off. When deputies arrived, they found Salvador Gonzales Jr., 16, bleeding from the back of the head and unconscious in a car’s back seat.
Two of the car’s windows were shattered, and the windshield had been damaged, police said.
Inside the house, deputies found 18-year-old Ivan Hernandez, who had two stab wounds -- one in the chest and the other in the stomach.
Both teens were taken to Lady of the Sea General Hospital in Galliano.
An interpreter told deputies that a third man who was at the house, 30-year-old Santiago Garcia, said the teens had been drinking. They allegedly had an argument that escalated into a fight.
Garcia said he locked himself in a room and called police as the teens fought, with Gonzales allegedly stabbing Hernandez and Hernandez hitting Gonzales with the hammer.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Hernandez admitted to hitting the car with the hammer and throwing the hammer at Gonzales. Hernandez was charged with aggravated battery after he was treated and released from the hospital.
Gonzales remained unconscious and could not be interviewed.
The investigation is ongoing.

Shooting victim arrested Monday

HOUMA -- A 23-year-old man shot in the head Sept. 20 on Columbus Street was arrested Monday on an outstanding warrant for domestic-abuse battery.
Houma Police stopped Russell Lamont James of Houma Monday night after he allegedly swerved around a traffic barrier set up to block a flooded street.
Officers discovered James, who was recently released from the hospital after being shot in the head by a .45 caliber gun, had an outstanding warrant from the Terrebonne Sheriff’s Office for domestic-abuse battery.
According to Terrebonne Sheriff’s Capt. Malcolm Wolfe, the warrant stems from a 2006 dispute involving James and his then-girlfriend. James was jailed and released after posting $1,500 bond.
Alexander Jones, 319 N. French Quarter Drive, and his friend, Barbara B. Winner, are each charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder in the Sept. 20 shooting that also wounded Carder Anderson, 19.
Jones and Winner remain in the Terrebonne Parish jail, each in lieu of a $1 million bond.

Gospel singing Thursday night

HOUMA -- The year’s last monthly Open House Gospel Sing Along will be held in Coteau this week.
The sing along is held at the SLECA building, 2028 Coteau Road, the last Thursday of each month for the first 10 months of the year, said organizer Jimmy Savoie. The last of the year, save for holiday performances, will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday.
Admission is free. For information call 868-1819 or 217-7949.

Ethnic exhibits may be in Houma

HOUMA -- New exhibits, focused on African American and American Indian culture, could come to Houma’s Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum next year.

The Terrebonne Parish Council reviewed the museum’s proposed 2008 budget Tuesday night. And if the council approves the budget, $21,200 will be used to pay for traveling exhibits at the museum.

At previous meetings, Council Chairman Alvin Tillman mentioned his interest in setting up an African-American history museum.

Both black and American Indian people have made significant contributions to Terrebonne Parish, he said, so more should be done to educate visitors and the community about them.

The museum’s budget may also get more money to attract visitors to downtown Houma via publicity and promotions.

<p class="bold allcaps">Two injured in hammer, knife fight</p>CUT OFF -- A bloody fight between two intoxicated teenagers who attacked each other with a knife and hammer ended with one teen in jail and the other unconscious in the hospital, according to the Lafourche Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s deputies were called Tuesday night to a scene of a fight at a house at 145 W. 63rd St. in Cut Off. When deputies arrived, they found Salvador Gonzales Jr., 16, bleeding from the back of the head and unconscious in a car’s back seat.
Two of the car’s windows were shattered, and the windshield had been damaged, police said.
Inside the house, deputies found 18-year-old Ivan Hernandez, who had two stab wounds -- one in the chest and the other in the stomach.
Both teens were taken to Lady of the Sea General Hospital in Galliano.
An interpreter told deputies that a third man who was at the house, 30-year-old Santiago Garcia, said the teens had been drinking. They allegedly had an argument that escalated into a fight.
Garcia said he locked himself in a room and called police as the teens fought, with Gonzales allegedly stabbing Hernandez and Hernandez hitting Gonzales with the hammer.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Hernandez admitted to hitting the car with the hammer and throwing the hammer at Gonzales. Hernandez was charged with aggravated battery after he was treated and released from the hospital.
Gonzales remained unconscious and could not be interviewed.
The investigation is ongoing.
<br><br><h3>Shooting victim arrested Monday</h3>
HOUMA -- A 23-year-old man shot in the head Sept. 20 on Columbus Street was arrested Monday on an outstanding warrant for domestic-abuse battery.
Houma Police stopped Russell Lamont James of Houma Monday night after he allegedly swerved around a traffic barrier set up to block a flooded street.
Officers discovered James, who was recently released from the hospital after being shot in the head by a .45 caliber gun, had an outstanding warrant from the Terrebonne Sheriff’s Office for domestic-abuse battery.
According to Terrebonne Sheriff’s Capt. Malcolm Wolfe, the warrant stems from a 2006 dispute involving James and his then-girlfriend. James was jailed and released after posting $1,500 bond.
Alexander Jones, 319 N. French Quarter Drive, and his friend, Barbara B. Winner, are each charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder in the Sept. 20 shooting that also wounded Carder Anderson, 19.
Jones and Winner remain in the Terrebonne Parish jail, each in lieu of a $1 million bond.
<br><br><h3>Gospel singing Thursday night</h3>
HOUMA -- The year’s last monthly Open House Gospel Sing Along will be held in Coteau this week.
The sing along is held at the SLECA building, 2028 Coteau Road, the last Thursday of each month for the first 10 months of the year, said organizer Jimmy Savoie. The last of the year, save for holiday performances, will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday.
Admission is free. For information call 868-1819 or 217-7949.
<br><br>
<br><br><h3>Ethnic exhibits may be in Houma</h3>
<p>HOUMA -- New exhibits, focused on African American and American Indian culture, could come to Houma’s Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum next year.</p><p>The Terrebonne Parish Council reviewed the museum’s proposed 2008 budget Tuesday night. And if the council approves the budget, $21,200 will be used to pay for traveling exhibits at the museum.</p><p>At previous meetings, Council Chairman Alvin Tillman mentioned his interest in setting up an African-American history museum.</p><p>Both black and American Indian people have made significant contributions to Terrebonne Parish, he said, so more should be done to educate visitors and the community about them.</p><p>The museum’s budget may also get more money to attract visitors to downtown Houma via publicity and promotions.</p>